Stay With Me Forever
by MissLovelyPrincess
Summary: When their plane to Japan crashes in a thunderstorm, Ichigo and Kashino find themselves both trapped on an undiscovered island. They have to count on each other to survive, and it isn't easy. And when Kashino finds himself falling for the brunette, he knows survival isn't the only thing he'll have to worry about... KashinoXIchigo. (REWRITTEN version of 'Don't Leave Me')
1. Lost in the Crashing Waves

**Me: DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU HAVE READ "DON'T LEAVE ME!" SKIP TO CHAPTER 2!**

**Kashino: Sorry (not really) to bother your... um... yelling, but why does this story look so horribly familiar?**

**Me: Um... I'm kind of rewriting Don't Leave Me...**

**Kashino: WHAT?! So I'll have to go through all that torture AGAIN?**

**Me: Pretty much, yeah. :D Anyways, I renamed it Stay With Me Forever, because... Don't Leave Me sounds boringly tragic.**

**Kashino: Yay.**

**Me: Also... I sort of combined chapter 1 and 2 of "Don't Leave Me" for this chapter. Hehe. So... please enjoy the story!**

* * *

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 1: Lost in the Crashing Waves

"Is that our flight?" Ichigo blinked.

"Yep. Try to pay attention for once, will you?" Kashino muttered. He headed to the entrance to their plane, his three teammates following close behind.

"Kashino! We just won the Grand Prix, can you be cheerful for once?" Ichigo complained.

It was true. She and the three sweets princes had won first place for the Grand Prix, and were now boarding the plane back to Japan. And Kashino hadn't even smiled once.

"Cheerful? CHEERFUL? Are you kidding me? Just because we won–" The blonde didn't have a chance to finish his sentence when Andou interrupted him.

"She has a point, Ma-kun. You should lighten up and relax!"

Kashino opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out and he closed it in defeat.

Suddenly, a panicked voice rang out. "Help!"

Kashino's eyes widened when he realized where it came from. He raced over to the brunette. "Amano! Are you okay? What happened?"

Ichigo stood up shakily. "I-I'm fine, I just tripped." She looked up at Kashino, smiling. "Sorry for worrying you." She stumbled forward, only to feel a hand on her shoulder.

"Here, I'll help you onto the plane." The blonde muttered. "The last thing we'll need is for YOU ending up in the hospital."

Ichigo smiled. "Thank you, Kashino."

The words were so simple, yet they were enough to redden Kashino's face considerably. Being Amano, the brunette didn't notice. But the two sweets princes did, and they exchanged amused glances.

The plane was considerably small, but large enough to easily fit two large beds. To Kashino's dismay, he had to share one with Ichigo. He made a mental note that staying up for the entire flight would be better than sleeping with a clumsy idiot.

Soon, they were on their way to Japan. The plane automatically flew by itself, and even Kashino had to admit it was a decent flight. Hanabusa was arranging a bouquet of roses, Andou was showing Caramel around about every inch of the plane with much fascination, and Ichigo was busy eating the 14 suitcases stuffed full of sweets from all around the world she had packed with her.

As for Kashino? He simply stared out the window, as if he was deep in thought.

Almost five hours after the plane had taken off, the wisps of white around them began turning a shade of gray. A few raindrops pattered along the roof of the plane. At first they were barely noticeable, but not for long.

Soon, the threads of rain became into a deafening thunderstorm. None of the sweets princes could tell whether it was day or night, and the only light outside was the occasional flashes of lightning.

None of them were in the mood to relax anymore, so Hanabusa made some rose tea instead and drank it in silence. Andou and Caramel were hiding under the covers, and Ichigo decided to save the rest of her sweets for later and take a nap. Kashino was the only one unaffected by the storm, and continued staring out the window as if nothing had happened.

All of a sudden, the plane jolted downwards. Ichigo yawned, opening her eyes. "What happened?"

"Nothing, it's just a thunderstorm." Hanabusa reassured her.

Suddenly, the plane shook again. But this time, it was much worse than before.

Kashino froze. "Did you just... feel that?" For the first time, his voice was clouded with anxiety.

For a moment, it was deadly quiet.

Then they all felt it. The plane had jolted downwards.

"What's happening? Why is the plane doing this?" Ichigo asked shakily.

Kashino didn't respond. He couldn't bear to break the news to Ichigo.

But he knew perfectly well the plane was going down.

And fast.

* * *

The plane dropped downwards again. Kashino hesitated. Then very, very quietly, he spoke. "The plane... it's going to crash."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "No, it can't be happening..."

"I'm sorry, Amano."

"What should we do?" Ichigo sobbed. Hanabusa sighed, and Andou looked down. Kashino knew that he was their only hope now.

"I–I–" Kashino shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"I'll be willing to do anything you say, anything!" Tears were pouring out of Ichigo's eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder.

Kashino clenched his fists. He had to do this. For Ichigo. For his Ichigo.

"Hanabusa, Andou, go find the emergency lifeboat and get it ready to lower it into the water."

"Hai!" The two sweets princes immediately headed down to the emergency compartment.

"Amano, come with me to get the life jackets."

"Hai!" Ichigo followed Kashino and they quickly removed four life jackets; one for each of them.

Suddenly, the plane jolted down again. "Hurry, there isn't much time left!" The two untied the last life jacket and hurried to help Hanabusa and Andou. They pushed the boat into the water just a few feet below, and climbed down one at a time just in time. The plane hit the water the second Kashino stepped on, and began sinking rapidly.

"Wait!" Kashino was frantic. "Where's Amano?"

Hanabusa gasped. "She must be still on the plane! What should we do? It would be extremely dangerous to try to rescue her..."

"But not dangerous enough to lose her." Kashino threw off his life jacket and plunged into the freezing cold water.

"Kashino, help me!" He could hear Ichigo's voice through the murky waters and swam desperately towards the sound.

Ichigo's voice was getting fainter by the second. Kashino took a deep breath and dived into the water towards the sound. _Hold on, Ichigo. Wait for me...__  
_

Finally, he spotted the sinking plane. Kashino hurriedly swam towards the plane window. His breath was running out. But he knew he had to save Ichigo.

The water was pitch black. Kashino could barely see the plane anymore. It seemed to take forever before he finally spotted an outline of Ichigo trapped in the corner of the room where the emergency supplies were stored.

The figure was barely noticeable in the murky waters, but he knew it was her. He held both of her hands and swam upwards. He could barely swim anymore. His heart was beating slower, so slow he could barely feel it anymore. But he knew he had to keep going. He couldn't just let her die when he knew he could have saved her.

Kashino finally reached the surface, gasping for air. He took hold of his life jacket, which he had cleverly tied his together with Ichigo's. Kashino gently placed one of the life jackets over her. He brushed the beautiful chocolate colored hair off of her forehead and placed a hand on her wrist. Although it was faint, he could make out a slight pulse.

Kashino held her close to him. He had been so close to losing her, so close. A second longer and Ichigo would probably be unable to survive.

"HANABUSA! ANDOU!" He cried out. But it was no use. Even if they were close by, his voice was carried through the thundering rain. Kashino didn't want to admit it, but he knew it was true.

He and Ichigo were stuck in this vast, unknown world.

And even worse, they were alone.

All alone.

* * *

**Kashino: THAT WAS LIKE AN EXACT COPY OF "DON'T LEAVE ME"!**

**Me: -.-" Yeah, I know. I PROMISE that chapter 2 will be less boring!**

**Kashino: Yep. As if.**

**Me: It's true!**

**Kashino: No it's not!**

**Ichigo: Um... Elise-chan told me to thank you for reading this because she was too busy trying to murder- I mean _talk to_ Kashino! ^_^**


	2. An Island in the Middle of Nowhere

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 2: An Island in the Middle of Nowhere

"We're stuck here, all alone, in the middle of nowhere. And you decide to compliment the view?" Kashino stared at the brunette in disbelief.

It was true. The two had been in the middle of nowhere for three days now. The seemingly endless ocean stretched in every direction, not a single clue of land in sight. And to be honest, Kashino was a tiny bit more concerned about actually not _dying _than admiring the surroundings.

Ichigo smiled. "Relax, Kashino! If we are going to die here, at least we could do it happily!"

Kashino facepalmed.

Ichigo laughed at his expression. She trailed her fingers in the water, ripples forming in the crystal blue.

Kashino was starting to enjoy the peace and quiet when she gasped. "K-Kashino!"

The blonde glanced up at her. "What is it now? I hope you didn't just call me to say that the ocean looks pretty." He rolled his eyes.

It wasn't entirely true. To tell the truth, he kind of enjoyed her company. Sometimes, that Baka could bring up the most interesting things. Not like he would ever admit it, though.

"It's... it's a coconut leaf! And it's still fresh!"

Kashino rolled his eyes. "Yeah, how amazing. It would have been better if you found a coconut instead."

Ichigo shook her head. "Coconut leaves won't be able to survive for long in the ocean. One this fresh... means there's land nearby!"

Kashino paused. Why hadn't _he_ thought of that? Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine. I admit you're right."

Ichigo smiled, her chocolate eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "We're saved! We're really saved!"

Right again. Because in a few minutes, she spotted a thin green line on the horizon. And as it boldened, Kashino knew it was true.

* * *

"The sand, it's so warm!" Ichigo picked up a shell and turned it around, smiling.

"Come on, Amano." Kashino muttered. "Let's go."

"Go where?" The brunette blinked innocently.

Kashino rolled his eyes. "Where do you think we'll stay for the night? There's no telling how long we'll be stuck here, or what's on this island. We need somewhere we can sleep safely."

Ichigo nodded. "You're right."

"Stay close by. It would be very dangerous to get lost here," Kashino warned.

Ichigo nodded, quickly dropping the seashell in her hand and hurrying up to him. "Don't worry, I won't!"

But of course, soon she found herself upon some star-shaped blossoms. Each one was a different color, light pinks and sky blues decorating the grass below it.

She examined a small white blossom and brought it to her nose, forgetting entirely about Kashino's warning. That is, at least until she found herself in the heart of the forest. All alone. "Kashino!" She called. "Kashino? Where are you?" She stood up shakily, looking around.

Unfortunately, Kashino couldn't have been more oblivious. "Look, this tree looks easy to climb. Don't you think so, Amano?"

He spun around to find himself alone. "Amano? Where are you?" He called, hoping she was nearby.

There was no reply.

"AMANO?"

It was no use. Ichigo was too far away to hear him. A tear slipped down the brunette's cheek. "This is all my fault. If only I had listened, if only I had followed him..." She leaned backwards onto a tall rock, only to fall backwards. The Pâtissière looked around and gasped. She was standing in...

...A cave?

It was only a few feet deep, hidden behind a few vines that she had mistaken for a wall of stone. Just big enough to fit two people.

Suddenly, she heard a distant voice. "AMANO!"

Her eyes widened. "KASHINO!"

"Amano?" Kashino followed her voice to the cave. He raced up to the brunette. "I told you to stay nearby!" He muttered, but he couldn't hide the relief in his voice.

"I'm sorry..." Ichigo hiccuped, tears streaming down her face. It stung Kashino to see her like this.

"It's ok," He whispered. "But we still haven't found a place to spend the night..."

Ichigo smiled. "I think it was over here..." She led the blonde over to the tall stone and pushed aside the vines. "I was looking for you, and accidentally fell into it..." She smiled crookedly.

Kashino laughed for the first time on the island. "I guess there is an advantage of being clumsy," He teased.

"Kashino!" Ichigo ran after him, giggling. "What did you mean by that?"

* * *

The cave was much smaller than the bed they had shared on the plane. But that night, neither of them could have slept more soundly.

* * *

**Kashino: What is this? It isn't even CLOSE to "Don't Leave Me"!**

**Me: Yeah, I know. Because "Don't Leave Me" had a really boring plot.**

**Kashino: Well, this one isn't much better.**

**Me: Mou...  
**

**Kashino: Moo? Are you a cow?**

**Me: No, I said 'mou'! And aren't you supposed to know Japanese?**

**Kashino: Since when exactly did YOU learn Japanese?**

**Ichigo: Um... *sweatdrops* Please read and review!**


	3. Quicksand, Topped With Sky Peaches!

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 3: Quicksand, Topped With Sky Peaches?

Kashino yawned, opening his eyes. He stumbled outside and gasped. The sun was already high in the sky. "I guess the cave is just too dark." He muttered to himself, gently shaking Ichigo awake. "Wake up, Amano."

Ichigo opened one heavy eye, and then yawned. "Oh, that chocolate cake was so delicious! Can you make me more of it, Kashino?" She closed her eyes and drifted back off to sleep.

"WAKE UP!"

Ichigo jolted up, wide awake. "KASHINO! I was just having the best dream of chocolate cake, and you just had to wake me up!"

"Baka! Dreams are useless! We need to find REAL food!"

"Well, at least you didn't have to yell."

Kashino rolled his eyes. "Not like I had a choice. Come on, let's go."

Ichigo followed him outside. "Can't we just eat coconuts? Look, they're everywhere!"

"Yeah, those things are almost impossible to open." Kashino rolled his eyes. "We'll just have to eat whatever we find. Just hope it's not poisonous."

Ichigo laughed. She took hold of Kashino's hand.

The blonde stopped in his tracks. "A-Amano! What are you doing?" His face was turning redder by the second.

Ichigo looked down at their locked hands. "I... I just thought it would be better than getting lost again..." She blushed and began to remove her hand, only to have Kashino hold onto it tighter. Surprised, the brunette looked up at him.

"I... I don't mind if you... I-I mean, it's okay if you..." Kashino looked away.

Ichigo smiled and held onto his hand, causing Kashino to blush.

They had walked for a few minutes when Ichigo's eyes widened. "K-Kashino! I... I'm sinking!"

Kashino looked at the mud beneath her feet and his heart skipped a few beats.

It was quicksand.

He remembered once his sister had told him that quicksand was easy to float in. Even easier than water.

"Kashino! Help me!" The brunette was almost completely immersed in the muddy sand.

"Amano, swim!" He yelled.

Ichigo shook her head. "I... I can't! I don't know how!"

Kashino sighed and waded inside. He felt his own feet disappearing beneath him, but he went on without grimacing. He had to save Ichigo, he just had to!

He took her hands and swam over to the shore. The blonde helped Ichigo onto the dry sand. "Amano! Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Ichigo stood up shakily and smiled. "Thank you, Kashino."

The blonde nodded. "Come on, let's go."

They walked for a while, hand in hand. Ichigo was getting hungrier by the second. But much to his dismay, Kashino wasn't letting her eat anything that he didn't recognize.

An hour had passed when she couldn't take it anymore. Ichigo picked the nearest fruit she saw and shoved it in her mouth. It was shaped like a peach, but blue and white colored instead of the usual pink.

Kashino stopped in his tracks and stared at her. "AMANO! What are you doing? That could be poisonous!"

Ichigo swallowed the fruit and smiled. "See? I'm perfectly fine!" She happily placed another one in her mouth. "Try one! It's delicious!"

Kashino crossed his arms. "Don't come crying when you-" Suddenly, he froze in horror.

Ichigo had stuffed one of those blue fruits in his mouth. "See? I told you! It's delicious!"

Kashino sighed. There was nothing he could do now. Besides, he had to admit... it actually tasted kind of good. Almost like a swirl of mangoes and strawberries. "I guess it's okay..."

Ichigo nodded. "Let's call them Sky Peaches!"

Kashino stared at her. "Sky Peaches? That's stupid!"

"But they need to have a name!"

Kashino sighed. "Fine then. Let's pick some 'Sky Peaches' to take back to the cave." Kashino rolled his eyes at the name.

Ichigo shook her head. "I'll just keep them _all _in my stomach so when I'm hungry, they'll be there!"

Sometimes, Kashino _really _wondered if she had any common sense. And other times, he was sure she didn't.

He sighed, taking the brunette's hand. "Come on, it's getting dark."

Ichigo nodded happily. "Okay!"

* * *

When they finally reached the cave, the stars were already illuminating the sky with a dreamy light. Ichigo yawned and lay down sleepily. "Good night, Kashino..."

Kashino smiled. "Good night, Amano." He lay down next to her and closed his eyes.

But long after Ichigo had fallen asleep, he found himself still awake. There was something that wasn't the same about the brunette. He didn't know why, he didn't know how. But somehow, Kashino found himself looking forward to each new day with her. He almost actually _liked _her smile.

Kashino froze. What was he thinking? He was supposed to hate her much more than he did any other girl. But she was different... Kashino forced his eyes closed. Tomorrow would be a long day, and he knew he needed all his energy for it.

He had no idea that little by little, he was falling in love with Amano Ichigo.

* * *

**Me: Yay!**

**Kashino: Yay?**

**Me: What? Can't I be happy for once?**

**Kashino: Happy? How can you be happy after writing such a horrible chapter?**

**Me: Come on! It's not THAT bad, is it?**

**Kashino: Yes. It's very, very, bad. In fact, it was so horrible that I didn't bother to read it at all!**

**Me: *Facepalms* Please review!**

**Thanks to Neko-chan2604 and Bakamonostalgic167 for reviewing, it really made my day! :D ****And all you readers who don't review... you guys are amazing! **


	4. Kashigo Island?

**Me: Sorry for the long wait! T.T**

**Kashino: Seriously? After so long, you came up with _this? _**

**Me: Yeah. -.- This chapter is really bad. I promise to update a decent chapter sometime in the next thousand years, okay? :)**

**Kashino: *Rolls eyes* I'll be waiting...**

**Me: Anyways, hope it's not too bad~! **

* * *

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 4: Kashigo Island?

"Kashino! WAKE UP!"

The blonde jolted up in bed. "Amano? What happened?"

Ichigo pushed aside the vines at the mouth of the cave. "See? It's morning!"

The blonde groaned, shielding his eyes at the sunlight's sudden change of intensity. It wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing to his eyes. To tell the truth, it was... well... _blinding._

Kashino stepped outside. "Come on, Amano. Let's go pick some Sky Peaches."

Ichigo nodded, taking his hand.

Kashino looked down at their intervened hands, his face turning crimson. It actually felt kind of nice being with her. He didn't know. Maybe he had just gotten used to being with her. Maybe it was all normal.

But there was always a voice inside him that knew it wasn't. He hated to admit it, he kind of... _liked_ her.

It had all happened so fast. Falling for a clumsy idiot like her was the last thing the blonde had expected. And he was scared. What if she didn't like him back? What if... what if she didn't like him at all?

"Um, Kashino? Why are you staring into space?" The brunette blinked.

Kashino looked away, his cheeks turning a fierce red. "Oh, that? I was... _thinking._"

"Thinking? About what?"

And of course, she just _had _to ask that question.

"T-Things." Kashino averted her gaze, hurriedly changing the subject. "Come on, walk faster. We'll never get there at this speed."

Ichigo nodded, quickening her pace to catch up to him. "H-Hai!"

The trip to the trees of Sky Peaches was almost a half hour walk. They had barely walked for 10 minutes when Ichigo stopped.

"Amano, what are you doing? We're not there yet!" Kashino muttered.

But Ichigo didn't hear him. She was busy examining a tall violet stalk.

Kashino glanced up at the plant. It looked slightly like bamboo, but colored a vivid purple. Kashino's eyes widened. "If I'm not mistaken, this is..."

Ichigo ran her fingers over the smooth amethyst. "I... I don't know. And there's only one way we can find out..." She knelt down onto the ground and broke off one of the thinner stalks.

Kashino's eyes widened when he realized what she was doing. "Amano! Baka, that could be poisonous-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Ichigo had the long stem in her mouth. She paused for a moment, then smiled widely. "Kashino! It's a sugar cane, it really is!"

The blonde hesitated. Then cautiously, he took a stalk in his own hand and tasted it. Suddenly, he felt himself overcome with a strange sweetness.

She was right.

Kashino rolled his eyes. "You're really lucky that was a sugar cane and not something else, you know?"

Ichigo merely laughed. "I have you here, don't I? You grew up in a family of doctors." Her voice softened. "I... I know you'll always be here to save me."

Kashino turned red. "Oi Amano, don't expect too much from me!"

Ichigo smiled, leaning in closer to him. So close that he could almost . "What's life without risks?" She laughed at his expression. "Well, I suppose you know how to change a sugar cane into sugar..."

* * *

Long story short, the blonde ended up with a strange mixture that didn't have the slightest resemblance of sugar.

He stared at it in distaste and sighed. "Sorry, Amano. It was the best I could do." Kashino looked away. "I guess I'm a decent Pâtissier, but I'm really useless at things like this."

"You never know unless you try it, right?" Ichigo took a leaf and scooped up a little bit of the sugar, placing it in her mouth. Instantly, her eyes brightened. "Kashino, I love it!"

Kashino's eyes widened. "You... you what?"

"It's delicious!" Ichigo sighed contentedly. "It feels like I'm back in Japan again, eating sweets..." She pulled him into a warm embrace. "Thank you, Kashino!"

The blonde felt his cheeks heat up. "I-Idiot! What do you think you're doing?"

Ichigo grinned. "What, I'm not allowed to hug you?"

Kashino turned redder. "I didn't mean that-"

"Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I did _this._" Ichigo smiled, wrapping her arms around him again.

Kashino almost died blushing.

* * *

She had insisted they watch the sunset.

To tell the truth, Kashino had better things to do than watch the sun melt into the ocean. Like sleep. But really, who could say no to those pleading chocolate brown eyes of hers?

So the blonde had brought her down to the ocean where there was a perfect view of the disappearing sun. And he had to admit, it _was_ pretty.

The sun had already set. The ocean sparkled with millions of stars, moonlight illuminating the darkness with a milky white. But still, the two remained gazing silently at the ocean waters.

Finally, Ichigo broke the silence. "Kashino?"

"What?" Kashino replied simply.

Ichigo let a handful of sand slip through her fingers. "Since this is our island, we should give it a name."

"Okay, sure." Kashino rolled his eyes. "Just make sure it's not something stupid like 'Sky Peaches'."

Ichigo laughed. She turned her gaze up to the stars, thinking. "...Chocolate Strawberry Island?"

"There isn't any chocolate or strawberries on this island." Kashino muttered.

Ichigo sat for a moment in contemplation. Then she tried again. "Kashino Ichigo Island?"

"Too long."

Ichigo pouted. "Then why don't _you _think of one?"

"Who suggested this island had a name anyways?" Kashino rolled his eyes. "It definitely wasn't me."

The brunette remained gazing up at the night sky, lost in thought. Then she smiled. "How about... Kashigo Island?"

Kashino paused. Then slowly, very slowly, he nodded. "I... I like that."

Ichigo smiled. "Yeah. Me, too."

For a moment, Kashino stared into her eyes. His breath caught in his throat. He had never really noticed how beautiful they were. They were almost brighter than the stars.

When he finally realized what he was doing, he forced himself to look away. _W-What am I thinking? It's not like I like her... _His cheeks were getting redder by the second.

"Kashino... I'm tired." Ichigo leaned onto the blonde's shoulder, closing her eyes.

The blonde felt his cheeks heat up. "A-Amano..."

But the brunette was already asleep, her head rested on his shoulder. Kashino smiled. He kind of liked her presence. It gave him this warm feeling that he couldn't describe.

Kashino stood up, carrying her back to the cave. He pushed aside the vines and stepped inside, lying down next to her.

"Kashino..." Ichigo murmured. She moved her arms around him, unconscious of her movements.

Kashino froze. Then he smiled. "Amano..."

And for the first time, Kashino fell asleep hugging her back.

* * *

**Ichigo: Wow, you actually know about being stuck on a deserted island?**

**Kashino: If she did, this story would be a lot better.**

**Me: Well, it's not like YOU write fanfics!**

**Kashino: Well, I can! :P See? Once upon a time, there was an annoying idiot named Elise. All her stories were very, very stupid. Then one day, she died. The end.**

**Me: I... died? WHAT?**

**Kashino: Well, you made ME die in Don't Leave Me!**

**Me: But in the end, I saved you!**

**Kashino: Fine! Then Elise turned into a strawberry tart and got eaten by Amano. Happy? :P**

**Me: How... creative. -.- Anyways, please review! Thanks to all of you out there for reading this, you guys are awesome! ^_^ And my five reviewers... I'm so happy! :'D**


	5. Never Underestimate an Idiot

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 5: Never Underestimate an Idiot

"Amano!"

"Five more minutes..." The brunette mumbled sleepily, turning over in bed.

_She must be really tired..._Kashino glanced at the Pâtissière. "I'm going to pick some Sky Peaches for breakfast. I'll be back soon, okay?

Ichigo nodded slightly before going back to sleep.

Kashino pushed the vines aside and stepped into the open air. The sun had barely risen yet, and the entire sky glowed with crimsons and golds.

He had picked only a few of the blue fruits when the blonde felt a trickle of water land on his hand. The blonde glanced upwards and frowned. The usual snow white clouds were now the color of fresh smoke, hiding the sunlight from view.

_I can't get caught in the rain, I'll have to hurry..._He stood up and raced towards the cave. The rain was getting harder by the second.

His first sneeze caught him by surprise. The blonde shivered. _I can't get sick now, I just can't! _He quickened his pace, trying to stay under the trees as much as possible. The way back was almost a 10 minute run, if he was fast enough...

When he finally reached the cave, he was a shivering mess. He hurried inside, coughing slightly.

"Kashino!" Ichigo eyed the blonde worriedly. "You're soaking wet!"

The Pâtissier took a seat on the ground and coughed. "I think I know that," He muttered bitterly. "I was getting to get some Sky Peaches when it started to rain. I tried to get back before I got too wet." He let out a sneeze and stared at the ground.

"I failed."

Ichigo placed a hand on his forehead and her eyes widened.

It was burning hot.

Ichigo eyed the blonde worriedly. "You should rest for today, you need it to get better."

Kashino wanted so badly to refuse. To prove that he could handle a cold perfectly well. Besides, the last thing he needed was _her _worrying over him. But his head hurt so badly, and all he wanted to do was sleep...

The blonde sighed. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

Ichigo laughed. "I may be an idiot, but I'm not entirely useless."

Kashino smiled, before sneezing again. He laid down, his eyes slowly falling closed...

* * *

The first thing Kashino noticed when he woke up was that he was warm. Very warm.

He slowly opened his eyes. "Amano?"

The brunette turned to look at him. "Oh, you're awake." She placed a few sticks in the fire and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Kashino sneezed and Ichigo eyed him worriedly. "Are you still cold?"

Kashino shook his head. "Actually... I'm sort of warm." He noticed the coconut leaves covering him for the first and smiled. "Amano... you got all this?"

The brunette nodded. "I didn't want for you to get worse than you already were. And you seemed so cold..."

"B-But it's raining outside..." Kashino coughed, looking away.

Ichigo laughed. "It wasn't raining that hard when I got them."

Suddenly, she winced. "Amano! Are you okay? You're not getting sick too, are you?"

Ichigo hesitated. Then slowly, she held out her hand. Along it was a small cut.

Kashino's eyes widened. "Amano, what happened?"

Ichigo looked away. "I... I was trying to set up the fire, and I accidentally burnt myself..."

Kashino examined her hand and looked away. "This is all my fault. If only I didn't get myself so sick, if only I hadn't been such an idiot..."

Ichigo shook her head. "It's just a small burn, don't worry about me."

Kashino stared at it more carefully and frowned. "This can't do, we'll need to find a bandage..." Kashino was about to go outside when Ichigo stopped him.

The brunette shook her head. "It's still raining. And aren't you already sick enough?"

Kashino sneezed and sank back in defeat. Suddenly, he started coughing. Ichigo rubbed his back, causing the blonde to redden noticeably.

"Are you okay, Kashino? Your face is really red, your fever must be going up..."

Kashino knew that his reddened cheeks wasn't just because of his fever... But nonetheless, he nodded. "Y-Yeah."

He began coughing once again and frowned. "I hate this."

Ichigo smiled sympathetically. "I know." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh, I almost forgot! It should be almost ready now..."

Ichigo took a small coconut shell off of the fire. "I found some tea leaves next to the stream. My grandmother taught me how to tell them apart." She smiled, carefully bringing the tea to Kashino's mouth.

The blonde smiled. "It's great." He took another sip. "...Thanks, Amano."

Ichigo smiled, then yawned. The blonde smiled. "You must be tired.

The Pâtissière nodded, lying down next to him. "Goodnight, Kashino."

"...Goodnight, Amano." Kashino chuckled lightly, spreading a few of his coconut leaves over the already sleeping brunette.

He really had to remember not to underestimate an idiot.

* * *

**Kashino: Why is it always ME who suffers in your stories?**

**Me: Why is it always YOU who criticizes my writing?**

**Kashino: Because it's completely horribly stupid? And besides, you deserve it. :P**

**Me: T.T Anyways, this chapter was sort of... cheesy. It didn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the story. I don't know...**

**Kashino: Yeah, it didn't fit in with the story because this chapter was MUCH WORSE than all the other ones!**

**Me: -.- You're such a devil!**

**Kashino: You're such a baka! Maybe even more than Amano! :P**

**Ichigo: Huh? What are you guys talking about?**

**Me: N-Nothing! Please review, you guys are amazing! ^.^**


	6. The Minute Fruit

**Search _Yiruma- Kiss the Rain_ before reading this... then play it when it says to. It makes the story actually kind of sad. _Kind of._ -.-**

* * *

Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 6: The Minute Fruit

"BAKA! Do you know how long it took to make this?!" Kashino yelled, picking up a broken piece of the raft he had made. Rage flickered in his eyes.

Ichigo lowered her head. "I-I'm sorry, it was an accident..."

"You should have been more careful!" Kashino's words stung like the flames of a fire, painful and stinging hot. "Why do you always have to mess _everything _up?"

"I was only trying to help!" Ichigo's eyes filled up with tears.

"Well, you never do!" Kashino couldn't take it anymore. "Just_ leave, _see if I care!"

The second the words left his mouth, Kashino instantly regretted them. He could see the hurt in Ichigo's eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Fine," She finally whispered, barely able to suppress a tremor in her voice. "I'll leave."

And before Kashino could say anything more, she was gone.

* * *

He waited for her to come back, waited for her walk up to him with her tear-stained cheeks and stutter an apology. Just like she always did. But she _didn't_.

He had never really realized how lonely it was without her. Without her chocolate brown eyes, her sparkling smile, everything suddenly seemed so cold. So empty. It seemed like forever before he finally saw her again.

"Amano." Although his expression remained emotionless, he couldn't have been happier to see her.

"Kashino..." Ichigo said shakily. "I feel weird..."

"Whatever," Kashino muttered. "Stop complaining."

Ichigo's words were strained. "It... hurts..."

Kashino sighed and stopped what he was doing. "Where?"

"E-Everywhere." Ichigo tried to blink back tears.

Kashino rolled his eyes. "Okay, what did you do _now?"_

"I was hungry, so I ate one of those fruits..." Ichigo glanced over at one of the brightly colored fruits nearby. It was completely black, covered with bright red spots.

Kashino froze, a cold wave of shock running through him. He knew that fruit, his sister had told him about it once. The Minute Fruit. It was like poison, she had said. One bite and you had a minute to live.

"Amano... you idiot!" Kashino could barely choke back tears. "That fruit kills you in a minute!"

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Kashino, I'm scared..."

He closed his eyes, trying to tell her it would be okay. But deep inside, he knew it wouldn't be.

And that was what hurt the most.

**Play ****_Yiruma- Kiss the Rain_**

It had all happened too fast. She stood gasping for air, feeling the life slip out of her.

"Amano! AMANO!" Kashino's voice was fading.

"Kashino, I'm so sorry..." Ichigo whispered.

Kashino shook his head. "This is all my fault... if only I hadn't been so stubborn, if only I had been there for you..." He couldn't stop the tears anymore.

Ichigo took her hand and brushed away the tears in his eyes. He could feel her heartbeat slowly fading. "Just go... without me..." She whispered.

"No, Amano!" His words were so quiet she almost couldn't hear them. "Don't leave me..."

"K-Kashino..." Ichigo's eyes were closing. "I love you. I'm sorry I never told you before. I just..."

Kashino's eyes widened at those words. "A-Amano..." That was when he couldn't take it anymore. "IDIOT! Don't leave me, you can't! Don't you see, I love you too!"

"Kashino... It's okay." Ichigo smiled one last time. The same smile he had learned to love. Then her eyes fell closed.

Kashino shook his head. "No. NO! Ichigo, don't go! You can't! Please, come back..."

He took her hand and pulled it close. It was so cold, too cold. "Ichigo..."

That was when he did something that surprised himself.

He kissed her.

It was incredible. In a single moment, all the memories they had ever had together flooded to Kashino's mind. "I love you, Ichigo." He whispered quietly. "And it will always be that way."

That was when a miracle happened.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Ichigo opened her eyes.

"Ichigo!" Kashino threw his arms around her. He felt tears pooling up in his eyes.

"M-Makoto..." The brunette smiled. Then suddenly, she pulled him into a kiss.

For a moment, Kashino froze. Then he closed his eyes and kissed her back.

When they finally broke apart, their eyes locked. "Dont... don't ever scare me like that ever again, okay?" Kashino whispered.

Ichigo laughed. "I won't."

And they walked back to the cave, hand in hand. For all Kashino cared, Ichigo was okay.

_His Ichigo._

* * *

**Kashino: That... was... HORRIBLE! How is it even possible to write that badly?!**

**Me: -.- I know, I know. I tried my best, but it turned out really bad... Why do I have to be so terrible at writing? All I want is for people to enjoy what I write... it's my biggest dream. **

**Kashino: Wait, this chapter was supposed to be SAD?! *Gasps***

**Me: Yep. Exactly. -.-****  
**

**Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys are too nice... :'D**

**1. bakamonostalgic167**

**2. ****Neko-chan2604**

**3. Unknownred**

**4. HeartArcFantasy**

**5. Animelover0508**

**6. samivyl**

**7. AngieChii**

**And thanks for all the favorites and follows! You make me feel like someone actually likes my stories (even though I'm pretty sure that's not true). Sorry for not updating in so long!**

**~Elise-chan**


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